Olympic cycling champion 'gutted' by IOC threats

IOC member Dick Pound said on Tuesday that his organisation may be left with no choice other than to take drastic action if Lance Armstrong proved that the International Cycling Union (UCI) had acted improperly.

"The only way it is going to clean up is if all these people say 'hey, we're no longer in the Olympics and that's where we want to be so let's earn our way back into it,'" Pound said.

Pound, the former head of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), made his comments after talk show host Oprah Winfrey confirmed that Armstrong had admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs during his cycling career.

Olympic Gold medallist Sara Carrigan said it's disappointing to see the IOC threatening the sport, over one man.

"I'm absolutely devastated and gutted.

"I'm coaching athletes who want to go to the Olympic Games, and if I was still competing, it would break my heart.

"How could one person bring down a sport like that? It isn't fair," Carrigan told ABC Radio.

Carrigan says although damage has been done to the sport, Armstrong's confession may open cycling up to more scrutiny and transparency resulting in a more fair playing field.

"What I do hope that happens it that it opens up a cleaner, more truthful playing field.

"It might hurt in the beginning, but let's hope that this opens it up so our juniors can come through and have a great sporting career in an honest way," she said.

Carrigan said if Armstrong confesses as early media reports suggest he should be seen to be giving back to the sport he's taken so much from.

"I think he should sell everything he owns and put that back into cycling to help develop the sport back in a truthful way."

Lance Armstrong's interview with Oprah will air in the US on Friday and Saturday.

Olympic Gold medallist Sara Carrigan says it would be harsh for the IOC to drop the sport from the Olympics if Lance Armstrong's doping confession implicates the governing body the International Cycling Union.
(Bogdan Cristel - Reuters)